Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-12-24

one of them began to tell how sailormen had
often been saved by casting lots so that one
might die to save the rest. The rest listened
TO him with interest, but the second mate
got out his little black Testament again, and
stopped the talk by reading once more about
the miraculous sitting of the tempest, 1t
was noticed, however, that the men were
quieter during the rest of the day than they
had been on any day since the wreck, and
although nothing more was said, the thought
of sacrificing one of their number To satisfy
the hunger Of the rest kept coming to them
at frequent intervals No one was in favor
Of il then, but the next day they were get
ting rapidly into q mental condition where
the deed would be done.
Monday noon the second mate kept them
longer around him than usual, interesting
them by reading from his Testament, and it
was nearly o'clock, as they suppose, when
he ceased. They knelt down, then, and
prayed as usual, leaving one man on lookout.
II was while thus engaged that the form Of
a sail was foon away Off to the southwark by
the lookout, The vessel was too far away to
see them then, but there was a fresh northeast
bree2c. ard with their lug ssil set they were
makit fair Roadway, and it seemed likely
IL hey could reach the track of the vessel,
which was bound northerly, before she could
pass A second oar was then dashed to the
ono used as a mast, and TO the top of all an
old red flannel shirt was secured. A third
oar with shirt for a signal was fixed in the
bow, and then all waited impatiently for the
ship to see them. The vessel proved to be
bark, and rapidly rose above the horizon, but
although the small boat was to windward of
bap hnv t,sAfcA ~, mi
swelling sails and her sides glistening with
spray in the sunlight she swept across the
bows of tho boat load of starving men and
was apparently to leave them as the other
had done. But when the men, who had used
every effort to attract attention, were giving
up in despair they saw that the weather
teaches Of her sails began TO shiver and a
minute later she was up in the wind coming
about to head for them. Wholly overcome
by their feelings they then sank down whore
they were and wept aloud and gave audible
thanks TO God for their deliverance.
They were still in this pitiable condition
when the bark which proved to be the Union,
Capt. Peterson, ranged up alongside with
head sails abaek, and lost Roadway, with the
boat load Of wrecked seamen just under the
lee rail amidships -Four of the men were
able to stand up and clutch the rail of the
bark, where her crew We're ready to lend
them a hand in getting on board The other
two, who were Johansen, the wounded sea-
man, and Lundblad, the carpenter, had to be
got on board in a sling. Once there they
were treated with the utmost tenderness, but
none had fully recovered his health when the
Union sailed into New York harbor.
Capt. Peterson said he was ON Gao quarter
deck and while looking over the sea thought
he caught glimpse of something in tho
waves, but was unable TO get a second sight
of it. He was about to go into his cabin for
cup of coffee, but he in some way felt nn'
easy and could not go without another look
for the strange object. He therefore climbed
up to windward in the mizzen rigging, and
at the first look deserted the boat, and gave
immediate orders to go about.
The wrecked seamen had been nine days in
an open boat For six days they had nearly
an ounce of food each per dsy, bat thereafter
they had nothing. They are very sure that
but for the courage derived from the second
mates little black Testament they would have
all gone wild and died the first week.
The men in this boat were Paul Feldthohn,
second mate; David Lundblad, carpenter,
and Seamen John Acelson, Franz Oscar
Carlson, Eric Z. Elfstrom and Peter N.
Johansen.
1t has since been learned that the long
boat, with her five mon, was picked up by a
Danish bark and carried safely into port. The
lost werarCapt. NJ. Maier, Mate Spangberg,
the Russian Finn Christolf Rinstrom, who
tried to swim back to the sinking ship, and
the boy Thomas Matson, who was drowned
while trying to swim from the small boat to
the longboat 1t is remarkable thing that
the two boats should have been found sea-
worthy and able to float in storm in which
ssaworthy bark foundered. New York Sun